How many of you have some artwork, pictures or memorabilia just laying around, hiding in attics, closets or corners that you’ve thought about getting framed or reframed but never found the time? Well, there’s good news. There’s a new custom frame shop in Bellevue that can help you tackle that task, once and for all.
artplus Framing Gallery opened in February of 2023 by veteran art professional and 25-year Bellevue resident, Tom Borrelli. Borrelli first opened the business in 1991 when he began providing installation services to interior design clients in Los Angeles for some big names in the Hollywood entertainment industry.
Seeking a better place to raise his young family, Borrelli moved to Middle Tennessee in 2001 and settled in Bellevue. With his impressive resume, it wasn’t long before he landed some notable clientele in Nashville’s entertainment community, as well as some prominent art collectors, which led to landing contracts with clients like the Nashville Symphony, The Grand Ole Opry, GENESCO and Cracker Barrel to name a few.
When asked why he chose to open artplus Framing Gallery in Bellevue, Borrelli says. “Well, in addition to making Bellevue my home for 25 years, I have always seen the need for a reasonably affordable neighborhood custom framing alternative to the big box store.”
Located at 7091 Old Harding Pike, artplus has framed just about everything, from vintage clothing to old American flags, and from textile pieces and arrowheads to precious family heirlooms. “We have framed just about everything you can think of,” says creative operations manager Meghan Carlson. “We do shadow boxes, floater frames, we custom make frames, stretch canvases, we do frame repairs and all sorts of interesting 3D layouts.”
artplus’s services are all-encompassing. Not only is it the place to go to have your favorite piece of art or picture framed, it can provide a multitude of services for you, without you ever having to leave your home. For busy clients on the go, artplus offers in home consultations where they come to your home, assess your art and images and wall space, then safely transport your pieces back to the studio where the custom framing takes place. They also provide a large format printing service for your favorite photos. If you have pictures on your phone from a special event or vacation that you would love to enjoy on your wall or give as a gift to someone, artplus can edit and print those images, design the mat and framing and create and install a beautiful gallery wall for you.
But if you don’t stop by their retail space, you’re missing half the fun. Of course, a wide selection of frames in every style imaginable is on display for you to see and touch and the space is also an active art gallery where many local artists, including some from the Bellevue area, have exhibits featuring their original creations. “We love to support the arts community and in particular, local artists, so we have a good selection of art in the gallery from local artists,” says Borrelli.
They also carry a nice variety of giclée prints, which are more affordable fine art or photograph reproductions of originals. “Some customers opt for something more affordable for decorating,” says Borrelli. “For those clients, giclée prints are a great option and we offer a beautiful selection of giclées, some already framed, or we can custom design the framing together with the client.”
If now you’re feeling inspired to dust off that old print or painting, now’s the time to visit artplus Framing Gallery. See how their 30 years of high-end custom framing experience can transform the walls of your home at an accessible price. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday. Private appointments are available as well.
As a full-service framer, artplus is equipped to handle everything from routine, everyday framing to archivally-framed museum-quality jobs that will preserve the piece's integrity forever. But it's not exclusively for masterpieces. Anything with significant sentimental value is worthy of the archival treatment.